Tube magazine component feeder

Abstract

A tube magazine component feeder is disclosed. The component feeder is reconfigurable to accommodate different tube magazine sizes and different component configurations. The component feeder includes a pair of upright masts for supporting loaded tube magazines in a stacked upright manner. The spatial separation of the two masts is adjustable to accommodate different tube magazine lengths. Other elements of the component feeder are adjustable or replaceable so as to quickly and easily adapt the device to a different tube magazine size or different component configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adjustable tube magazine component feeder for feeding electrical components to a robotic component insertion system, adaptable to handle tube magazines of different sizes, comprising: first and second upright mast members disposed in a spaced arrangement for receiving therebetween a a plurality of tube magazines;   a top plate member having at least one elongated slot formed therein;   a mast foot member secured at the base of said second mast member for supporting the upright position of said second mast member, thereby forming a mast and foot assembly;   means for guiding and supporting said plurality of tube magazines in a stacked, aligned relationship, said means being adjustable to accommodate tube magazines of different widths;   means for adjusting the spatial separation between said first and second mast members in dependence on the particular length of said tube magazines, said means comprising means for selectively fixing the position of said second mast member along the extent of said elongated slot, comprising a fastener means extending through said slot in said top plate for securing the position of said mast at desired position when tightened, and for allowing the mast to be moved along the extent of said slot when loosened;   said first mast member having an aperture formed therein in alignment with the lowermost one of said tube magazines;   a component track member extending through said aperture in said first mast member to adjacent an open end of said lowermost one of said tube magazines and to a component pickup station;   means for sequentially expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines onto said component track member;   means for urging components along said track member to said component pickup station; and   means for ejecting the lowermost one of said tube magazine when emptied of components and disposing a fresh magazine in position to be emptied of components by said urging means.   
     
     
       2. The feeder of claim 1 further comprising a fastener plate disposed adjacent the lower surface of said top plate, and said fastener means comprises a threaded fastening device extending through an opening formed in said fastener plate and said slot, and received into a corresponding threaded bore formed in said second mast and foot assembly, wherein said second mast may be moved along the extent of said slot when said fastening device is loosened, and said threaded fastening device may be tightened within said threaded bore to draw said fastener plate and said mast and foot assembly tightly adjacent said top plate to fix the position of said second mast in relation to said top plate. 
     
     
       3. The feeder of claim 1, wherein said means for sequentially expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines comprises: a first aperture plate member received in said first mast member and having a first component aperture disposed therein in alignment with said lowermost tube;   a second plate received in said second mast member and having an air nozzle fitted therein in alignment with said lowermost tube; and   means for forcing pressurized air through said nozzle to cause a stream of air to move through said tube magazine to urge said components out of said magazine onto said track.   
     
     
       4. An adjustable tube magazine component feeder for feeding electrical components to a robotic component insertion system, adaptable to handle tube magazines of different sizes, comprising: first and second upright mast members disposed in a spaced arrangement for receiving therebetween a a plurality of tube magazines;   means for guiding and supporting said plurality of tube magazines in a stacked, aligned relationship, said means being adjustable to accommodate tube magazines of different widths;   means for adjusting the spatial separation between said first and second mast members in dependence on the particular length of said tube magazines;   said first mast member having an aperture formed therein in alignment with the lowermost one of said tube magazines;   a component track member extending through said aperture in said first mast member to adjacent an open end of said lowermost one of said tube magazines and to a component pickup station;   means for replacing said track member with another track member of different height or width dimensions to accommodate different component configurations, to adapt the component feeder to different component sizes and configurations;   means for sequentially expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines onto said component track member;   means for urging components along said track member to said component pickup station; and   means for ejecting the lowermost one of said tube magazines when emptied of components and disposing a fresh magazine in position to be emptied of components by said urging means.   
     
     
       5. The feeder of claim 4 further comprising an end-of-track tooling member disposed at said component pickup station for receiving said components from said track, and means for replacing said tooling member with another tooling element to accommodate different component sizes, said tooling element having height and width dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of said track member. 
     
     
       6. The feeder of claim 5 further comprising a means for clamping at least one lead of such electrical component at said tooling elements, said means comprising a jaw member which is moveable between an open position and a closed position relative to said tooling element to selectively release or clamp said lead. 
     
     
       7. The feeder of claim 4 wherein said means for expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines comprises means for forcing a stream of pressurized air into said lowermost tube magazine to urge said components out of said magazine onto said track. 
     
     
       8. An adjustable tube magazine component feeder for feeding electrical components to a robotic component insertion system, adaptable to handle tube magazines of different sizes, comprising, first and second upright mast members disposed in a spaced arrangement for receiving therebetween a a plurality of tube magazines;   means for guiding and supporting said plurality of tube magazines in a stacked, aligned relationship, said means being adjustable to accommodate tube magazines of different widths;   means for adjusting the spatial separation between said first and second mast members in dependence on the particular length of said tube magazines;   said first mast member having an aperture formed therein in alignment with the lowermost one of said tube magazines;   a component track member extending through said aperture in said first mast member to adjacent an open end of said lowermost one of said tube magazines and to a component pickup station;   means for sequentially expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines onto said component track member, said means comprising: a first aperture plate member received in said first mast member and having a first component aperture disposed therein in alignment with said lowermost tube;   a second plate received in said second mast member and having an air nozzle fitted therein in alignment with said lowermost tube; and   means for forcing pressurized air through said nozzle to cause a stream of air to move through said tube magazine to urge said components out of said magazine onto said track;     means for replacing said first and second plate members with other respective plate members having said component aperture and said air nozzle disposed appropriately in alignment with different tube magazines to accommodate other component sizes and configurations;   means for urging components along said track member to said component pickup station; and   means for ejecting the lowermost one of said tube magazines when emptied of components and disposing a fresh magazine in position to be emptied of components by said urging means.   
     
     
       9. An adjustable tube magazine component feeder for feeding electrical components to a robotic component insertion system, adaptable to handle tube magazines of different sizes, comprising, first and second upright mast members disposed in a spaced arrangement for receiving therebetween a a plurality of tube magazines;   means for guiding and supporting said plurality of tube magazines in a stacked, aligned relationship, said means being adjustable to accommodate tube magazines of different widths;   means for adjusting the spatial separation between said first and second mast members in dependence on the particular length of said tube magazines;   said first mast member having an aperture formed therein in alignment with the lowermost one of said tube magazines;   a component track member extending through said aperture in said first mast member to adjacent an open end of said lowermost one of said tube magazines and to a component pickup station;   means for sequentially expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines onto said component track member;   means for urging components along said track member to said component pickup station, said means comprising a vibratory feeder device and means for securing said track member to said vibratory device;   a removable fastening device for releasably securing said track to said vibratory feeder device to allow said track to be replaced with another track of different height or width dimensions to accommodate different component configurations; and   means for ejecting the lowermost one of said tube magazines when emptied of components and disposing a fresh magazine in position to be emptied of components by said urging means.   
     
     
       10. The feeder of claim 9 wherein said means for expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines comprises means for forcing a stream of pressurized air into said lowermost tube magazine to urge said components out of said magazine onto said track. 
     
     
       11. An adjustable tube magazine component feeder for feeding electrical components to a robotic component insertion system, adaptable to handle tube magazines of different sizes, comprising, first and second upright mast members disposed in a spaced arrangement for receiving therebetween a a plurality of tube magazines;   means for guiding and supporting said plurality of tube magazines in a stacked, aligned relationship, said means being adjustable to accommodate tube magazines of different widths, and comprising respective pairs of tube rails, one pair for each mast member, and wherein the spatial separation between the rails of each pair is adjustable to accommodate tube magazines of different widths;   means for adjusting the spatial separation between said first and second mast members in dependence on the particular length of said tube magazines;   said first mast member having an aperture formed therein in alignment with the lowermost one of said tube magazines;   a component track member extending through said aperture in said first mast member to adjacent an open end of said lowermost one of said tube magazines and to a component pickup station;   means for sequentially expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines onto said component track member;   means for urging components along said track member to said component pickup station; and   means for ejecting the lowermost one of said tube magazines when emptied of components and disposing a fresh magazine in position to be emptied of components by said urging means.   
     
     
       12. The feeder of claim 11 wherein said means for expelling components stored in said lowermost one of said tube magazines comprises means for forcing a stream of pressurized air into said lowermost tube magazine to urge said components out of said magazine onto said track.